TURNING PRO

THE KANDOS STREET MACHINE & HOT ROD SHOW SCORED A MASSIVE BOOST IN 2026, BECOMING A PRO BURNOUT SERIES QUALIFIER FOR THE FIRST TIME

-  BEN WARES

IT'S been described as 'Summernats in cowboy hats', and that's by no means a slight against the Kandos Street Machine & Hot Rod Show, held each year over the Australia Day long weekend in the NSW Central West town of Kandos.

The biggest little show in the west is always a cracking time, with a laidback, grassroots vibe and plenty of fun to be had by gearheads of all ages.

It's an event with a proud history that stretches back decades to when it was held in Kandos's main street, but it now takes place at the awesome Simpkins Park facility in town, complete with clubhouse and dedicated burnout pad.

The 2026 running had all the regular program fixtures, including a show 'n' shine, hotly contested burnout comp, grass events and go-to-whoa, but this year's show was bolstered by being declared a Pro Burnout Series qualifier for the first time, with qualifying and Wildcard tickets on offer for the big dance at Street Machine Summernats 39. That's a huge deal in burnout circles.

"It's always been a good old-fashioned country car show run by local legends," said Kandos commentator and burnout personality, Dave Pendlebury. "The fact that their crowd-favourite burnout competition has earned those highly sought-after Pro Burnout Series tickets was awesome; it brought competitors in from around the country."